SAN JOSE — Forward Will Smith offered a tantalizing glimpse of the future as he finished the San Jose Sharks development camp this week with an impressive showing during the team’s prospects scrimmage at Tech CU Arena.
Now it’s a matter of how Smith will fare in his first NHL training camp this fall — and whether there’s a spot for him on the Sharks’ 23-man roster to start the season.
Based on what Sharks general manager Mike Grier said after the first day of NHL free agency and his moves to make his forward group deeper and more versatile, there’s no guarantee.
Tyler Toffoli, Alexander Wennberg, Carl Grundstrom, Barclay Goodrow, and Ty Dellandrea are new to the Sharks this year, adding to a group that already includes Logan Couture, if healthy, Mikael Granlund, Fabian Zetterlund, William Eklund, Luke Kunin, Klim Kostin, Nico Sturm, and Givani Smith.
That doesn’t include Thomas Bordeleau, who impressed the Sharks last season. Macklin Celebrini could be in the mix, too.
“I’ve talked about the importance of competitiveness within our group and trying to build that up, and we’ve slowly been doing it,” Grier said this week. “Now I think it’s at the highest level it’s been at since I’ve gotten here.”
Indirectly, Grier’s veteran additions also sent a message to the Sharks’ top forward prospects: an NHL job to start the season was no sure thing. As of now, precious roster spots would appear to be available.
“Talking to some of our vets, and even myself going back to my playing days, if you’re going to make the team as a young player, you had to earn your way,” Grier said. “You weren’t going to be given a spot by default.”
That seems to be where things stand with rookie forward Smith, who signed his entry-level contract in May.
Like everyone else, Smith saw Grier’s additions to the team’s forward group, which includes a handful of players who could play center or wing.
Grier said Couture, Granlund, and Wennberg “are all centers by trade, but I don’t think any of them would have a problem playing on the wing.”
Does that mean Smith, and perhaps Celebrini, will be given a chance to play center in the NHL right away? We’ll see, but Smith knew reinforcements were coming.
“Before I was going to sign, I know that (the Sharks) were going to make some moves and bring guys in to help us, and obviously that’s huge for a team that’s going to win,” Smith said. “Before I even signed, I knew they were going to do that and it’s pretty exciting.”
Smith was mainly used as a center in his standout freshman season at Boston College, and that’s probably where the Sharks see him in the long run. But Smith has played wing before and is certainly open to doing so again with the Sharks.
“I played center at BC, but I’m totally comfortable playing both. Whatever they need me to do,” Smith said of the Sharks. “I could do both, and I think at BC, there were a couple of games where I would switch back and forth depending on who I was playing with.”
Smith is in for an offseason like he’s never experienced — regardless of where he plays in the fall.
“You look at him last year. He goes from the combine to the draft to development camp to the World Junior summer showcase to school,” said Todd Marchant, the Sharks’ director of player development, of Smith. “There’s just no time. They’re still training, but they’re not.”
Now, Marchant said, “You have two solid months to really get in the gym and get bigger and stronger because that’s what most of these kids need. They need to get bigger and stronger so that they can compete with the men in the NHL. It’s a tough league.”
Smith has been adding weight and wants to tack on more this summer as he prepares for his first full season in San Jose.
“Coming here, into this camp, it’s a little different,” Smith said. “I’m signed for next year and I’m seeing where I’m going to live and seeing the area. There were more things I was doing this camp. It’s definitely more real that the season’s coming.”
While Smith’s physique, at perhaps slightly more than 180 pounds, is still a work in progress, his skating and hockey IQ are already perhaps at an NHL level.
During the 4-on-4 portion of the Sharks’ prospects scrimmage on Thursday at Tech CU Arena, Marchant said he was impressed with one particular sequence where Smith carried the puck behind the net and kept his head up the entire time to see where the play was developing and what teammates were open.
“That’s hard to teach. It’s just an instinct for him,” Marchant said. “So bigger, stronger, get in the gym, and then that will lead to more confidence on the ice.”
The Sharks will only keep 13 or 14 forwards out of camp, and at least 11 spots appear to be spoken for. Bordeleau, Smith, and Collin Graf are all waivers exempt, but Graf would appear to be a long shot to make the roster.
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It sets up an interesting camp.
“We all want the best from our players. We want them to push each other, we want the internal competition, and we think we’ve done that,” Grier said in general terms. “So the young guys should be looking at this as an opportunity, but also know that they’re going have to raise their game in the gym this summer and on ice, working on themselves, working on their body and their nutrition, on their game, and get better.
“So when training camp comes around, they’re going to be in a battle, and these older guys aren’t going to rush to give their spot away to a young guy. So it should make for a pretty competitive camp. And may the best man win.”
